Method and system for adaptive location determination for mobile device

ABSTRACT

An example method includes connecting to a call center by a user equipment (UE) device via a voice call and receiving a request for a current location. The device is determined to be in an outdoor environment if the signal strength of satellite signals used by a global positioning system (GPS) is greater than a threshold. The device is determined to be in an indoor environment if a beacon signal strength is greater than a further threshold. If the device is in an outdoor environment, the current location is determined using a standalone or assisted GPS method. If the device is in an indoor environment, the current location is the known location of the beacon or an assisted GPS method. If neither the signal strength of the satellite signals nor the signal strength of the beacon exceeds its respective threshold, the current location is determined as a last stored location.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, mobile devices have increasingly provided users with anelevated level of safety and security. In addition to being able towirelessly contact another individual or service by dialing a number,mobile devices can be used as part of a Personal Emergency ResponseSystems (PERS). PERS devices and equipment are user-installed devices(wired or wireless) that may also attach to a landline network. Thegeneral concept is that the PERS user is able to provide locationinformation for general monitoring and/or to alert an emergency responsecall center that they are in distress and need immediate assistance.Some PERS devices are capable of detecting events such as falls orextended periods of inactivity and alert the call center to theseconditions. Regardless of the specific type of PERS device, the locationof the mobile device is an important determination.

In modern mobile communication networks, the current positiondetermination technologies use several methods of determining asubscriber's location before it defaults to the location of the servingsector. One such technology is Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS is aspace-based satellite navigation system that provides location and timeinformation anywhere on Earth, where there is an unobstructed line ofsight to four or more GPS satellites. Standalone GPS operation usesradio signals from satellites alone. On the other hand, Assisted GPS(AGPS) additionally uses network resources to locate and use thesatellites in poor signal conditions. For example, when signalconditions are poor (e.g., in a city or building), these signals maysuffer multipath propagation where signals bounce off buildings, or maybe weakened by passing through atmospheric conditions, walls, or treecover. When a GPS location determination is attempted in theseconditions, some standalone GPS navigation devices may not be able tofix a position due to the poor signal quality. A fix may take severalminutes (if at all possible) rendering them unable to functioneffectively until a clearer signal can be received continuously for along enough period of time. An assisted GPS system can address theseproblems by using data available from a network. For example, serversthat include orbital information from satellites are used. A mobiledevice can contact such servers and download the information using a“secure user plane location” approach, which is an IP based protocol forAGPS to receive information of GPS satellites via IP.

Determining the location of a mobile device while the mobile device isin use is often problematic. For example, when a mobile device isindoors, both GPS and AGPS may fail to provide the location informationbecause of a substantial degradation of the GPS satellite signals.Further, even if there are some GPS signals, a mobile device may not beable to be assisted in determining its location because thecommunication channel is preoccupied with voice communication. Putdifferently, some wireless technology, (e.g., CDMA) does not supportsimultaneous voice and IP data communication. Thus, the call would firsthave to be stopped in order for the mobile device to determine itslocation efficiently.

Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a method and system thatwould be able to determine the location of a mobile device when GPSsignals are not available to the mobile device. It would also bebeneficial to have a method and system to determine the location of amobile device while a mobile device is in use, without providing animpression to the user that an on-going call is severed. Similarly, itwould be beneficial to use different location technologies that are bestsuited for different scenarios.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord withthe present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation.In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similarelements.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system offering an exemplary framework to determinethe location of a mobile device.

FIG. 2 illustrates a more detailed view of system offering an exemplaryframework to determine the location of a mobile device.

FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified exemplary flow between a mobile deviceand a call center.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary mobile device in communication with apilot beacon.

FIG. 5 illustrates a simplified exemplary call flow where a mobiledevice is coming in and out of proximity of a pilot beacon.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary emergency call flow for a coarselocation determination.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary call flow performed after a coarselocation determination and voice call is established.

FIG. 8 illustrates a location determination flow that is adaptive to theconditions.

FIG. 9 illustrates a high level simplified function block diagram of anexemplary mobile device.

FIG. 10 illustrates a network or host computer.

FIG. 11 depicts a computer with user interface elements.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary flow that extends the range of a mobiledevice while conserving power.

FIG. 13 is an exemplary flow illustrating some processes and servicesthat may run when using the wireless traffic network and the in homenetwork.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilledin the art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components,and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentteachings.

The various examples disclosed herein relate to quickly determiningand/or tracking the location of a mobile device. The examples describedherein, quickly determine a coarse location of the device. In responseto an emergency, the coarse location may be sufficient to guideemergency personnel to the area. The location estimate may be furtherrefined after the initial coarse location has been provided to givebetter guidance to the emergency personnel as they approach the initialdestination. Different localization techniques are used to determine thelocation of the mobile device. The location information is thentransmitted to a central server.

Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and discussed below. FIG. 1 illustrates a mobilecommunication network 100 as may be operated by a carrier or serviceprovider to provide a wide range of mobile communication services andancillary services or features to its subscriber customers andassociated mobile device users. The elements collectively indicated bythe reference numeral 100 generally are elements of the network and areoperated by or on behalf of the carrier and third party serviceprovider, although the mobile devices may be sold to and owned by thecarrier's customers. The mobile communication network 100 providescommunications between mobile devices as well as communications for themobile devices with networks and stations (not shown) outside the mobilecommunication network 100.

The wireless mobile communication network 100 might be implemented as anetwork conforming to the code division multiple access (CDMA) IS-95standard, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) wireless IPnetwork standard or the Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO) standard, a timedivision multiple access (TDMA) standard or other standards used forpublic mobile wireless communications. In one example, the mobiledevices may be capable of conventional voice telephone communicationsand data communications.

For purposes of later discussion, several user equipment (UE) or mobiledevices 113 appear in the drawing, to represent examples of the UEdevices that may receive various services via the mobile communicationnetwork 100. In the materials that follow, the terms UE device andmobile device are used interchangeably and include a wearable PERSdevice. UE devices 113 can take the form of portable handsets,smart-phones, tablets, personal digital assistants, or mobile devices113, although they may be implemented in other form factors. In oneexample, mobile devices 113 can include media content. The media contentcan be configured to execute on many different types of UE devices 113.For example, a mobile device application can be written to execute on abinary runtime environment for mobile (BREW-based) UE device. In furtherinstances, a mobile device application can be written to execute on aWindows Mobile based mobile device, Android, I-Phone, Java Mobile, orRIM based mobile device such as a BlackBerry or the like. The mobileenvironment may support PERS applications running on mobile devices.Alternatively, the UE devices 113 may be PERS wearable devices. In oneexample, a PERS wearable device may be configured to have a help buttonon the device and a user of the PERS wearable device 113 may call thepersonal emergency response system by pressing the help button in anemergency state. Help may also be invoked through an audio input of thePERS wearable device 113, a predetermined motion of the device, theoutput signal of a physiological or environmental sensor coupled to thePERS device 113 indicating a potential emergency condition or anycombination thereof.

The mobile communication network 100 can be implemented by a number ofinterconnected networks. Hence, the overall network 100 may include anumber of radio access networks (RANs), as well as regional groundnetworks interconnecting a number of RANs and a wide area network (WAN)interconnecting the regional ground networks to core network elements. Aregional portion of the network 100, such as that serving mobile devices113, can include one or more RANs and a regional circuit and/or packetswitched network and associated signaling network facilities.

Physical elements of a RAN operated by one of the mobile serviceproviders or carriers include a number of base stations represented inthe example by the base stations (BSs) 119. Although not separatelyshown, such a base station 119 can include a base transceiver system(BTS), which can communicate via an antennae system at the site of basestation and over the airlink with one or more of the mobile devices 113,when the mobile devices are within range. Each base station can includea BTS coupled to several antennae mounted on a radio tower within acoverage area often referred to as a “cell.” The BTS is the part of theradio network that sends and receives RF signals to/from the mobiledevices 113 that are served by the base station 119.

The radio access networks can also include a traffic network representedgenerally by the cloud at 121, which carries the user communications anddata for the mobile devices 113 between the base stations 119 and otherelements with or through which the mobile devices communicate. In someexamples, the mobile traffic network 121 includes network elements thatsupport mobile device media content transfer services such as mobileswitching centers (MSCs) 130, Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DeviceManagement (DM) Working Group and the Data Synchronization (DS) WorkingGroup servers 170. The network can also include other elements thatsupport functionality other than media content transfer services such asmessaging service messages and voice communications. Examples of othernetwork elements that may be used in support of messaging servicemessage communications include, but are not limited to, message centers(MCs) 139, home location registers (HLRs) 138, simple messaging servicepoint-to-point (SMPP) gateway 140, and other network elements suchService Control Gateway (SCG) 172, Position Determining Entity (PDE)174, and gateway Packet Data Serving Node/Home Agent (PDSN/HA) 176. ThePDE 174 communicates with an appropriately equipped mobile device 113 todetermine the location of the mobile device 113, and for non-emergencyservices, a Location gateway (LGW) (not shown) makes that informationaccessible to various user applications, including some applicationsthat reside on mobile stations. Hence, the location determinationsoftware in the mobile device 113 enables that station to obtain thelocation information by working with elements of a location basedservice (LBS) platform of the mobile wireless communication network,such as the PDE 174.

Thus, the PDE 174 is a network element that manages the position orgeographic location determination of each mobile device 113. In someexamples, network 100 utilizes an assisted GPS (AGPS) approach to thedetermination of mobile station location, in which the mobile device113, takes measurements of signals from a number of GPS satellites 120(only two of which are shown, for convenience) and interacts with thePDE 174 to process those measurements so as to determine the latitudeand longitude (and possibly altitude) of the current location of themobile device 113. The PDE system 174 is essentially a general purposeprogrammable device with an interface for data communication via thenetwork 121 running server software and running programming forimplementation of the PDE functions. The PDE 174 stores (e.g., in cachememory) or has access to a complete and up to date set of the satellitedata for the constellation of GPS satellites 120 needed to allowcomputation of position based on pseudorange measurements from satellitesignals. The data may include that associated with the entireconstellation but will at least include the data for the satellitesexpected to be broadcasting into the geographic region serviced by thenetwork 121.

When a mobile device 113 attempts a GPS position fix, the mobile device113 provides information allowing the PDE 174 to perform a pre-fix.Typically, the mobile device 113 will provide data identifying the basestation 119 through which it is receiving service (and possibly theserving sector). In some implementations, the PDE 174 may receive dataregarding several base stations/sectors and signal strengths thereof,for trilateration. The PDE 174 uses information about base stationlocation(s) to process the data received from the mobile device 113 soas to determine a region (e.g., area of the cell or sector, or a generalarea triangulated based on signals from several base stations) that themobile device is likely located within. The PDE 174 then uses thepre-fix location to parse the satellite data down, to assistance datathat the mobile device 113 at the particular location needs in order totake GPS readings. The PDE 174 sends the parsed satellite data to themobile device, e.g., to target mobile device 113, for use in takingmeasurements of signals from appropriate satellites 120. The GPSassistance data may contain selected satellite almanac, satellitevisibility, Doppler, and clock correction information.

The mobile device 113, in turn, uses this information (also known asacquisition assistance records) to take multiple satellite pseudorangemeasurements. Depending on the device/network configuration, the mobiledevice 113 or the PDE 174 can then calculate a final fix using thesepseudorange measurements. The final fix computation provides latitudeand longitude (and possibly altitude) coordinates for the currentlocation of the mobile device 113. If the mobile device 113 has full GPScomputation capability, the station 119 would know its current latitudeand longitude and would communicate that data to the PDE 174 through thenetwork 121. In many cases, however, the mobile device 113 has onlymeasurement capability, and the mobile device forwards the measurementdata to the PDE 174 to determine the final fix. In either case, the GPSprocessing leads to a situation in which the PDE 174 knows the latitudeand longitude of the mobile device 113. If necessary, the PDE 174 canprovide coordinates to the mobile device 113.

As to the SCG 172, it functions to allow software applications, e.g.,third-party applications (shown by servers 141 to 143), to send requeststo locate mobile devices 113. Such software applications can be residenton the mobile device 113 itself or resident on another platform.

As mentioned above, the network 121 also includes one or more of PacketData Serving Nodes or “PDSNs” 176. The PDSN 176 is a fixed networkelement introduced in the architectures for 3G networks, to supportpacket-switched data services. Each PDSN 176 establishes, maintains andterminates logical links to the associated portion of the radio accessnetwork 121. The PDSNs also support point to point (PPP) sessions withthe mobile devices 113. The PSDNs 176 provide the packet routingfunction from the radio network to/from other packet switched networks,represented generally by the other network 136 and the Internet 123, inFIG. 1.

Other individual elements such as switches and/or routers forming thetraffic network 121 are omitted here for simplicity. It will beunderstood that the various network elements can communicate with eachother and other aspects of the mobile communications network 110 andother networks, e.g., the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 236as shown in FIG. 2, and the Internet 123, either directly or indirectly.

The mobile switching center (MSC) 130 is responsible for managingcommunications between the mobile device and the other elements of thenetwork 110. In addition, the MSC 130 is responsible for handling voicecalls and messaging service message requests as well as other services(such as conference calls, FAX and circuit switched data, messagingservice communications, Internet access, etc.). The MSC 130 sets up andreleases the end-to-end connection or session, and handles mobility andhand-over requirements during the call. The MSC 130 also routesmessaging service messages to/from the mobile devices 13, typicallyfrom/to an appropriate MC 139. The MSC 130 is sometimes referred to as a“switch”. The MSC 130 manages the cell sites, the voice trunks,voicemail, and SS7 links 202, as shown in FIG. 2.

In one example, the message center (MC) 139, in some examples, allowsmessaging service messages to be exchanged between mobile devices andother networks. For SMS messaging, for example, the MC 139 receivespacket communications containing text messages from originating mobiledevices and forwards the messages via the signaling resources and thesignaling channels to the appropriate destination mobile devices. The MC139 may receive messages from external devices for similar delivery tomobile devices, and the MC 139 may receive similar messages from themobile devices and forward them to servers or terminal devices, ineither case, via an Internet Protocol (IP) packet data network.

In some examples, the MC 139 can also be considered or includefunctionality that may be considered that of a Short Messaging ServiceMessage Center (SMSC) or a Message Register (MR). Wireless carriersdeveloped the short message service (SMS) to transmit text messages fordisplay on the mobile devices. In many existing network architectures,the SMS traffic uses the signaling portion of the network 121 to carrymessage traffic between a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 139 andthe mobile devices. The SMSC 139 supports mobile device to mobile devicedelivery of text messages. However, the SMSC 139 also supportscommunication of messages between the mobile devices and devices coupledto other networks. For example, the SMSC 139 may receive incoming IPmessage packets from the Internet 123 for delivery via the network 121,one of the base stations 119 and a signaling channel over the air linkto a destination mobile device. For this later type of SMS relatedcommunications, the network 110 also includes one or more Short MessagePeer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol gateways 140.

In other examples, the MC 139 can include functionality related to theEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS) or Multimedia Messaging service (MMS).An EMS message can have special text formatting (e.g., such as bold oritalic), animations, pictures, icons, sound effects and special ringtones. MMS messages support the sending and receiving of multimediamessages (e.g., images, audio, video and their combinations) to (orfrom) MMS-enabled mobile devices. In some examples, the MC 139 can beconsidered in whole or in part a multimedia messaging service center(MMSC).

Although a single MC 139 is shown, network 100 can have manygeographically dispersed MCs 139. The MCs 139 can include destinationrouting tables (DRTs). In essence the DRTs are databases within the MCs139. A DRT contains a list of the MDNs which are associated with thevarious MCs 139. For example, a first MDN is associated with a MC 139 inCalifornia while a second MDN is associated with a MC 139 in Virginia.The DRTs are used to determine which MC 139 should attempt to deliver anincoming messaging service message to the destination MDN. For example,if a user associated with the MC in California sends an SMS to a userassociated with the MC 139 in Virginia, the California MC 139 sends theSMS to the Virginia MC 139 for delivery to the destination MDN. Thecommunication among the MCs 139 occurs using know protocols such SMPPand the like.

The HLR 138, in some examples, stores a subscriber profile for each ofthe wireless subscribers and their associated mobile devices 113. TheHLR 138 may reside in an MSC 130 or in a centralized service controlpoint that communicates with the MSC(s) 130 via an out-of-band signalingsystem such as an SS7 network 202 as shown in FIG. 2. The HLR 138 storesfor each mobile subscriber the subscriber's mobile directory number(MDN), the mobile identification number (MIN), and informationspecifying the wireless services subscribed to by the mobile subscriber,such as numeric paging or text-based paging, data communicationservices, etc. Of course, the HLR 138 can also be a stand-alone device.The HLR also tracks the current point of attachment of the mobile deviceto the network, e.g., the identification of the MSC 130 with which themobile device is currently registered to receive service.

The SMPP gateway 140 provides functionality to transport messagingservice messages to other mobile communication networks and also receivemessaging service messages from other networks. The SMPP gateway 140supports communications using the SMPP protocol. SMPP gateways 140 areShort Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) gateways 140 used to connect thewireless communication network (such as an Internal Protocol IP networkon the left of the SMPP Gateway 140 in FIG. 1) to another network (suchas a public Internet network on the right of the SMPP Gateway 140 inFIG. 1). The SMPP Gateway 140 allows the MC 139 to receive and sendmessages in IP packet format. The SMPP Gateway 140 is an entity withinthe wireless network 100 that acts as an intermediary between thewireless service provider network and other networks. For example, theSMPP Gateway 140 converts messages in protocol(s) used by otherapplications and devices, e.g. Extensible Markup Language (XML),Hypertext Mail Protocol (HTMP), etc., to and from the SMPP protocol. TheSMPP messages ride on IP transport, e.g., between the SMPP Gateway 140and the MC 139.

In addition, the traffic network portion 121 of the mobilecommunications network 100 connects to the other network 136. The othernetwork, in one example, may be a private data network. The private datanetwork connects to the traffic network portion 121 via a gateway (notshown). The gateway can provide protocol conversions between theprotocols used by the traffic network 121 and the protocols used by theprivate data network 136.

The private data network 136 can be in communication with variousauxiliary services servers, e.g., such as those providing additionalservices to the users of the network 100, and/or to operations supportpersonnel of the service provider or carrier that operates the network100. For example, the carrier can also offer its subscribers on-lineaccess to a variety of functions related to the subscribers' accounts,such as a log of location information, personal health informationpersonal information, account information (e.g., passwords, preferences,etc.) or the like. For that purpose, the carrier can operate a “PERSCall Center” server 143 via the other network 136. Hence, a user'sterminal, such as PC 127, may be used to access on-line informationabout a subscriber's account, which the mobile carrier makes availablevia the carrier's web site accessible through the Internet 123. In oneexample other network 136 is part of the Internet 123.

In addition, a “PERS Application” server 142, and a hosting server 141can be provided in communication with the private data network 136. Forexample, the PERS Application server 142 can provide settings, mobiledevice events (e.g., when an emergency occurred), location historyinformation of the mobile device 113, and the like. The hosting server141 is a caregiver portal application and troubleshooting portalapplication hosting server. For discussion purposes, each of the hosting141, PERS Application, and Call Center Server can be a standalonecomputing device such as a server or be on a single server. Thus, thefunctionality described herein with respect to each of the servers 141,142, and 143 can also be provided by one or multiple different computingdevices.

FIG. 2 provides a high level description of an exemplary framework todetermine the location of a mobile device.

In one example, mobile device 113 may initiate a call to the call centerrequesting emergency services. The wireless network (e.g., carrier'swireless communication network) may relay the call to the call centervia the PSTN network 236, as shown in FIG. 2.

The App server 142 may record and update the status of the call uponreceiving an indication from the call center server 143. Uponestablishing a connection to the call center, caregiver PC 204 or anagent may be notified of the established call and may then request alocation of the mobile device via Internet 123. Upon receiving therequest, the mobile device may first perform a GPS fix using data fromsatellite 120. However, the satellite signal may be poor, due toobstructions such as large buildings, trees, etc. An assisted GPS (AGPS)system can address these problems by using data available from a network(e.g., the carrier's wireless communication network). Thus, the mobiledevice may rely on AGPS using wireless network resources to help themobile device determine the mobile device location. For example, servers(e.g. PDE 174) in the network that include almanac and ephemeris datafor the satellites may be used. Mobile device 113 may contact theservers and download the information. The mobile device will stillreceive at least some GPS satellite signals for processing to determinelocation, however, the network assistance may help expedite finalresolution of device location and/or a reasonably accurate determinationusing fewer or weaker received satellite signals. In one example, bothGPS and AGPS may fail to provide the location information because of asubstantial degradation of signals. In such a scenario, if the user ofthe mobile device is in the vicinity of docking station 402, the user orthe system may then provide the location or the registered address ofthe docking station.

In one implementation, the mobile device may be a PERS wearable device113 (as discussed above). As such, an emergency situation such as aheart attack, a collision or a fall or GPS coordinates corresponding toa danger zone, detected at the PERS wearable device, may automaticallyinitiate a call to the call center.

The user of the caregiver PC 204 or an agent may then access thelocation information via a global information network (e.g., theInternet 123) from the call center server. In one example, the callcenter agent may also receive personal information about the user of themobile device and a coarse location of the mobile device 113 (e.g.,based on the wireless network cell sector address) that may be used toselect a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) call center 206. Forexample, the personal information may be stored in a database (e.g., apublic database or a private database) of the server. The database maybe created during an initial service setup between the call center andthe user. During the setup, a user identification value may be obtainedfrom the user and stored in the database. This value may be used laterto index the database in order to retrieve the user's stored personalinformation. For example, the agent of the caregiver PC 204 may have thetelephone number of the PSAP call center 206 based on the locationpersonal information and the coarse location of the user. The agent maycontact the PSAP call center in order to relay the status (e.g., anemergency situation) and location of the user to a PSAP operator, sothat the PSAP operator can provide immediate support to the user. In oneexample, the PERS device may also communicate with an accessory, such asa heart monitor, associated with the user, which may already have theuser identification. This communication may be implemented by the PSAPcall center engaging a pseudo hold mode, as described below, andestablishing an Internet protocol (IP) session with the mobile device113. Thus, upon communicating with the accessory (e.g., the heartmonitor), the PERS device may acquire the user identification andtransfer the user identification to the call center. In such a scenario,the PERS device may not store the user identification.

With the foregoing overview of the system, it may be helpful now toconsider high-level examples of determining the location of a mobiledevice 113 in different scenarios. FIG. 3 illustrates a simplifiedexemplary flow between a mobile device 113 and a call center 302.

In step 311, the wireless device 113 is initially connected with thecall center in an end to end voice call. In another example, a voiceconnection may be initially setup automatically between the wirelessdevice 113 and the call center. This may take place when the wirelessdevice senses a motion (e.g., a sudden acceleration indicating anemergency situation such as a collision or fall). Alternatively, thevoice call may be manually triggered by the user.

During the voice call, the call center personnel may want to determinethe location of the mobile device (e.g., to track the location of theuser). This request may be generated by the mobile device (when apredetermined criterion is met). For example, the mobile device 113 mayperiodically send such information to the call center based on a priorconfiguration of the PERS service. In another example, the predeterminedcriterion of the mobile device 113 may be a perceived incident (e.g.,fall, collision, etc., based on various sensors on the mobile device113). In another example, the request to determine the locationinformation (and/or to send the location information to the call center302) may be initiated by the user of the mobile device. In yet anotherexample, the call center 302 itself may initiate the request to receivethe location information from the mobile device 113. In this example, anassumption is made that Standalone GPS operation is not appropriate forreasons discussed above. In this regard, Assisted GPS (AGPS) would bemore appropriate to determine the location of the mobile device.However, since there is a voice call in progress, whether or not acompleted connection to the call center has been established, such GPSassistance cannot be readily provided.

In general, the request received by the mobile device, is not limited tolocation determination. Rather, the requests may be for differentfunctions that may be completed by the mobile device. That is, thefunction may constitute of first executing it in the mobile devicebefore sending a result to the call center. Some example functions are:searching the Internet using a mobile web browser, sending an image thatis taken with a camera of the mobile device, sending audio that isrecorded with the mobile device's microphone. For example, the callcenter of an insurance company may request the mobile device to send animage of a specific incident (e.g., a picture of the user and/or theuser's damaged property to an insurance adjustor at the time of anincident). In another example, the call center may request theapplication running on the mobile device to send recorded sound of anemergency incident at the time of the incident.

In step 312, the call center 302 issues a command to the mobile devicefrom (e.g., from the call center application portal) to determine thenetwork assisted location (AGPS) of the mobile device 113. For example,the request is translated into a Dual tone multi frequency (DTMF)command, which is a tone played in the voice channel for the device.

The DTMF command, may be a combination of keys, for example, ‘*80’.Different combinations of keys may execute different functions in themobile device. These functions may include initiating the pseudo-holdmode, acknowledging receipt of a pseudo-hold command and acknowledgingtermination of a pseudo-hold mode. The acknowledgements may be generatedautomatically by the application running on the mobile device, withoutuser interaction. The key combinations sent between the call center andthe mobile device may be audible to the user or may be masked by theapplication running on the mobile device. To prevent accidentalinitiation of a pseudo-hold, these codes may be longer and includemultiple instances of the special tones such as “*” and “#.”.

In step 313, upon receiving such a command, an application on the mobiledevice 113 enters a “pseudo hold,” in which the voice call istemporarily terminated. In one example, music played on the mobiledevice 113 and/or an announcement is displayed on a user interface ofthe mobile device (e.g., “please hold while we determine yourlocation”). In the background, the call is actually severed. However,the severed call is not apparent to the user of the mobile device 113.Instead, although the call is terminated by the call center or theapplication on the mobile device, it appears that the voice call isongoing—but on hold—while the device is determining the locationinformation and sending it to the call center. This increases theconvenience of the mobile device because the call is terminated andreestablished without user intervention, allowing the device toautomatically interrupt a call to perform a function and thenautomatically resume the call. The entire process is essentiallytransparent to the user. Although the call is actually severed, the usermay also be urged not to “disengage” the call by audio message providedlocally by the application to the user during the time that the voicecall is terminated.

In step 314, once the application on the mobile device 113 determinesthat the call has been terminated, the application causes the mobiledevice 113 to initiate an AGPS Mobile Station Based (MS-B) locationrequest to the Position Determining Entity (PDE) 174 (e.g., the networkserver that assists in the location determination). Again, AGPS is madepossible because the communication channel is now clear due to the“pseudo hold” in effect. Accordingly, the communication between themobile device and PDE may be via an Internet protocol (IP) session, forexample, using a secure hypertext protocol (https). Once the location(i.e., position of the mobile device 113) is determined by the mobiledevice 113 or a server in the network, a connection to the call centeris set up and the location information is sent via the IP session to thecall center 302. If the location is determined by the network server, itmay be sent directly from the server to the call center so that thepseudo-hold may be terminated earlier.

In step 315, upon receiving the location information of the mobiledevice 113 (e.g., from the mobile device 113 over the IP channel), thecall center 302 (e.g., in the call center application portal) initiatesa call back to the mobile device 113. In one example, the call center,based on the user identification (e.g., a mobile device number MDN),performs a lookup for the device in the database of the server. Once amatch is obtained, the call center then places the call to the specificdevice accordingly. This call placement is transparent to the user ofthe mobile device 113—i.e., the user does not know that the call wassevered and reestablished. The location information may be matched withthe mobile device 113 using a unique identifier associated with themobile device 113 in the communication to the call center 302. Thelocation information may further be stored in a server associated withthe call center 302 for retrieval/automatic association with the callback to the mobile device 113 and display on a screen of a call centeragent. This information may be used instead of using the locationdetermination process described above if it is not stale (e.g., if theuser is calling back within a short time period and there is noindication that the mobile device has been moved). The call centerpersonnel may make this determination rather than the mobile device (orthe application running on the mobile device may automatically determinethat the previously supplied location can still be used and actappropriately).

The receipt of the location information may signal the call center thatthe pseudo hold is to be terminated. Alternatively, the mobile device113 may send a separate signal to the call center to terminate thepseudo hold. If the call is between the mobile device 113 and anothermobile device (not shown), a message, sent via the IP session, signalingthat the function is complete may be sent between the mobile devices toindicate that the pseudo hold should be terminated.

In step 316, upon receiving the call, the call control application onthe mobile device 113 automatically answers the call without an overtindication to the user (e.g., ringing the device or displaying anyincoming call related indications). In one implementation, theapplication running on the mobile device may know the CID of the callcenter and, when the mobile device is in pseudo-hold mode, may examinethe CIDs of incoming calls. When a call having the CID of the callcenter is received the application may automatically answer the call,and then terminate the pseudo-hold mode. Calls having other CIDs may beignored by the application or automatically forwarded to a voice mailbox(which may play a specialized message dependent on the device being inthe pseudo-hold mode) while the mobile device is in pseudo-hold mode.

For example, the time that a device may be in the pseudo-hold mode for amay be limited. Within that predetermined time, the device may onlyreceive calls associated with the call center (e.g. having the known CIDof the call center). As such, an indication in the mobile device of acall from the center, may not be necessary. However, upon an expirationof the limited time, the mobile device may again receive incoming callsand an indication of such.

In step 317, the user continues the voice call on his/her mobile device113. Thus, the location information of the mobile device 113 isdetermined and provided to the call center 302 without substantiallyinterfering with an ongoing call. In various embodiments, theapplication may stop the mobile device 113 from responding to anyincoming calls and/or the network block calls to the mobile device 113in the event that calls are made to the mobile device 113 during thetime period when the communication channel is not in use. For example,the mobile device, while in the pseudo-hold mode, may send a signal tothe network indicating that it is in the pseudo-hold mode. The networkmay then respond to the signal by rejecting any incoming call directedto the mobile device. In another example, the network may divert theincoming calls directly to a voice mail box of the mobile device.

In general, the user interface of the mobile device indicates that thedevice is free to make another call even when engaged in a voice call.However, upon entering the pseudo hold mode, the device may execute afunction (e.g., browsing the internet), as described above, and may needto use an IP data channel. Sending data over the IP data channel to thecall center may conflict with the operation of the voice call. The voicecall and the IP data channel may not operate simultaneously. As such,during the pseudo-hold mode, the voice call may be terminated for thedata transmission.

In one aspect, both GPS and AGPS approaches may not provide an efficientway of determining the location of a mobile device. For example, themobile device 113 may be in a building. Thus, any satellite GPS signalmay not effectively reach the mobile device and any additionalassistance through AGPS may fail. In this regard, the source generatinga supplemental position determination signal may include a pilot beacon402. The pilot beacon 402 may be deployed inside an area having anobstructed view of sky to improve the location determination capabilitywithin the area. For example the pilot beacon 402 may be a dockingstation with wireless capability as illustrated in FIG. 4. The dockingstation may provide various functionalities not provided by the mobiledevice 113, including, for example, charging the mobile device 113 andother functionalities that replicate those provided by the mobile device113 including, for example, enabling a phone call to be played over aspeakerphone. In one example, the pilot beacon 402 is stationary and/orhas its location information stored in its memory (e.g., it has aregistered home address). Alternately, a unique identifier of the pilotbeacon may be used by the network to determine the location of themobile device 113 if the range of the pilot beacon is sufficientlylocalized. Thus, the supplemental position determination signal mayinclude the unique identifier of the pilot beacon 402 for use in alocation-based lookup for determination of the mobile device 113, if thepilot beacon 402 has no independent location determination mechanism orstored location information. When a mobile device 113 comes within rangeof the pilot beacon 402, the mobile device 113 can obtain accuratelocation information from the pilot beacon 402 (e.g., instead of usingGPS and or AGPS). The mobile device 113 may obtain location informationfrom the pilot beacon 402 through various wireless technologies,including but not limited to Digital Enhanced CordlessTelecommunications (DECT), WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. It should be noted thata pilot beacon 402 is effective when the mobile device is within range(e.g. between 0 and 20 meters or more, depending on the type of beacon),not only when GPS signals are weak or unavailable. In addition, thebeacon may be used to quickly obtain a rough location of the device, forexample a street address, while GPS may be used to further refine thelocation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a simple call flow where a mobile device is coming inand out of proximity of a pilot beacon 402. For example, when a userenters their home, his/her mobile device 113 comes within range of apilot beacon 402 (i.e., step 501) (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4).Accordingly, the mobile device 113 now has access to reliable locationinformation irrespective of the GPS (or AGPS) signal strength. In oneexample, the determination that the mobile device 113 is within range ofa pilot beacon 402 is made by the mobile device 113. In another example,the determination is made by the pilot beacon 402 itself. The mobiledevice may determine that it is within range of the pilot beacon 402 ifit can receive and decode a discovery message from the beacon. Thisdiscovery message includes the unique identifier for the pilot beacon402. The mobile device may send this identifier to the call center asits location data. Similarly, the pilot beacon 402 may receive a queryfrom the mobile device 113 instructing the beacon 402 to send its uniqueID to the call center. The pilot beacon 402 may then send its identifierto the call center as a response to the query from the call center tothe mobile device for the location of the mobile device. In thisinstance, the mobile device 113 communicates with the telecommunicationssystem through the pilot beacon 402. Thus, the pilot beacon 402 maycommunicate its identifying information directly to the call center. Invarious examples, the location information is sent to the call center302 either by the pilot beacon 402 (e.g., in response to a special querysent by the mobile device 113 under control by the application) or themobile device 113. The location information is sent in response to arequest from the call center. The call center 302 may record thelocation information to create a log of the location of the user (viatheir mobile device 113). This log may be used, for example, to quicklyprovide the most recently stored location of the mobile device when anemergency alert is received. Prior to using this stored value, however,the call center may determine the lapse in time since the last locationwas stored to determine if the last stored location is too old to bereliable. If the call center determines that the last stored location istoo old, it may send a pseudo hold command to the mobile device 113,establish an IP session with the mobile device and obtain the locationdata from the mobile device 113 as described below.

In step 502, the user leaves home (with their mobile device 113) therebygoing out of range of the pilot beacon 402 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 4).In this regard, a notification is sent to the call center 302 that theuser is no longer within range of the pilot beacon 402 (i.e., at home).In one embodiment, the notification that the user is no longer withinrange of the beacon may be stored for a predetermined interval prior tobeing sent. If the mobile device 113 or the pilot beacon 402 determinesthat the mobile device is within range of the pilot beacon during thisinterval, the transmission of the notification may be canceled. Thisdelay adds hysteresis to the determination, reducing the messaging thatmay occur, for example, when the mobile device is near the limit of thepilot beacon range. Steps 503 and 504 make clear that notifications arerepeated automatically as the user enters and leaves their home (i.e.,comes into proximity to the pilot beacon 402.) In one implementation,separate notifications are sent when the mobile device 113 comes into orleaves the range of the pilot beacon 402. Each of these notifications isthen stored with a time stamp. To reduce data storage and to addressprivacy concerns, only a limited number (e.g. 1 to 10) of notificationsmay be stored, the stored notifications purged after a predeterminedinterval (e.g. 1 to 6 hours). In another implementation, rather thanstoring separate notifications, a single value is toggled when themobile device enters or leaves the beacon range. In some embodiments, anotification is sent to the mobile device 113 (and used by theapplication) and/or may be sent to the call center 302 if an emergencycall is in progress.

The mobile device 113 may include an indicator, such as a light emittingdiode (LED) or a symbol displayed on a liquid crystal device (LCD)display indicating when the mobile device 113 is within range of thepilot beacon 402. Because communication via the pilot beacon 402 and thepacket switched telephone network (PSTN) is typically preferred overcommunication through the wireless network, it may be beneficial for theuser to know when the mobile device will use each service.

The concepts embodied herein are also applicable in emergencysituations. In one example, such monitoring may be part of a PersonalEmergency Response System (PERS) that can be used for monitoring thelocation of subscribers and to respond to emergencies identified by themobile device 113. For example, an emergency call signaled by a PERSsubscriber with their mobile device (e.g., a mobile device 113) goesthrough several steps until the location of the mobile device isdetermined. In one example, the PERS system includes the mobile device113, a coarse positioning process (e.g., similar to non-PERS 911 calls),a standalone position determining process, a more accurate AGPS positiondetermining process, and verbal communication between PERS subscriber, acall center agent, and, sometimes, a Public Safety Answering Point(PSAP) Call Taker and/or other emergency medical service (EMS)personnel.

For example, four main position determining steps are used to determinethe location (e.g., position information). Some of the factors foraccuracy/responsiveness include the number of GPS satellites the mobiledevice 113 is in communication with, signal strength of the GPS signals,the proximity to the BS 119, and the time available for call centeragent to assess and help with a developing situation. FIG. 6 illustratesan exemplary emergency call flow utilizing a pseudo-hold mode. Thesystem shown in FIG. 6 includes a base station controller, mobileswitching center (BSC/MSC), a home location register (HLR), a mobilepositioning center (MPC), a local positioning system (LPS), a servicecontrol gateway (SCG), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), anapplication center, a call center staffed by a call center (CC) agent.

In step 1, the user invokes help from a PERS. For example, the user maypress a “Help” button on their PERS wearable device or mobile device113. A program in the mobile device 113 initiates the alerting sequenceupon determining that the “Help” button has been pressed. In otherexamples, help is invoked through an audio input, by moving the devicein a predetermined way (e.g., shaking it several times in apredetermined manner) or any combination thereof. In one example, themobile device 113 triggers the help alert automatically upon determiningthat a predetermined event has occurred, such as an accident, fall,etc., based on various sensors on the mobile device 113.

In steps 2 to 3, the mobile device 113 initiates call setup. Forexample, the mobile device 113 dials the Call Center toll-free 800number. The user may be informed that a call is in progress on a displayof the mobile device 113. The mobile device 113 is now in the “Alert”state. The “Alert” state is cleared when the emergency call iseventually resolved (i.e., step 74 of FIG. 7).

In steps 4 to 5 the wireless network relays call to the PERS call center302 using an initial address message (IAM). For example, the helprequest is relayed to the call center using normal wireless networksignaling and the Public Switched Network (PSTN) where an automated CallCenter answers the call.

In step 6, the App Center state is updated. For example, the Call Centerupdates the status of the user to an “Inbound Call State.” The AppCenter manages the status of the request from the mobile device 113 byreceiving events describing the state of the call, actions by the CallCenter Representative, and process automation created by the App Centeritself.

Next, the Coarse position is requested (i.e., steps 7 to 20) using amobile location protocol (MLP) standard location immediate request(SLIR) to the LPS and then to the MPC, where it is embedded in a shortmessaging service request (SMSREQ) and transmitted to the HLR. The MPCalso handles billing with the BSC/MSC. The location information isreturned to the SCG using MPL standard location immediate answer (SLIA)messages. For example, the Call Center automation sends a “Locate user”request to the App Center 142. This request is an independent processthat is performed in the network and proceeds concurrently with theactivity of the mobile device (i.e., steps 28-30) and by the Call CenterAgent (i.e., steps 21-27). When the sequence completes, the Agent hasthe user personal information and a coarse location (Cell Sectoraddress) of the PERS subscriber that can be used to select a PublicSafety Answering Point (PSAP) later in the call, if necessary. In step20 the PSAP telephone number available by the Call Center automation.

In steps 21 to 22, the Call Center Agent is alerted and informed aboutthe situation. While the Coarse position request is in progress, theCall Center Automation relays the PERS subscriber's call to an Agent(e.g., human). As the agent is alerted, the inbound call processperforms a database lookup for the user information (based onoriginating Telephone number). The retrieved information is presented tothe Call Center Agent to which the call is directed.

In steps 23 to 27, the Call Center Agent establishes communication withuser (i.e., bearer of the mobile device 113). For example, the CallCenter Agent received the user information (i.e., back in step 22) andnow accepts the incoming call. The call completes and the Call CenterAgent has a 2-way voice call established (i.e., step 27).

In steps 28 to 33, the mobile device performs a GPS Fix (i.e., usingstandalone GPS) and provides the results. Following the originating call(i.e., step 01) the mobile device 113 informs the user that theirrequest is being processed. The device then starts a process todetermine the location of the mobile device using standalone GPS (i.e.,step 28). This step is concurrent with the in-network coarse positioningrequest and the Voice call establishment. If the mobile device 113determines that it is within range of the user's cradle (i.e. if themobile device receives a signal from the cradle, even if that signal isnot sufficient to establish a communications channel), the mobile device113 reports the location provided by the cradle (e.g., home).

Reference now is made to FIG. 7 which illustrates an exemplary call flowthat is performed after a coarse location determination and voice callestablishment. In addition to the communications elements shown in FIG.5, FIG. 5 includes packet data switched network (PDSN), shown combinedwith the BSC/MSC, a position determining entity (PDE) and a domain nameserver (DNS).

At step 34, several assumptions are made: (i) the user and the CallCenter Agent have established a 2-way Call; (ii) the Call Center Agenthas the user personal data as well as a coarse location information(including the appropriate PSAP call number); and (iii) there is someassessment of the status (e.g., general location, possible condition,etc.,) of the user. The Agent may have a standalone GPS fix or homelocation in hand. If the home location was provided by the mobile device113, the Agent has accurate location information. For example, thequality of the alternative GPS fix depends on the number and quality ofthe satellite signals it used for its location determination.

Steps 35 to 77 are with respect to a “Granular Positioning Request.” Forexample, if the Call Center Agent requests more precise locationinformation than what is provided by the mobile device 113, the Agentcan send an in-band command (i.e., step 35) to the mobile device 113 torelease the ongoing call and initiate an assisted GPS (AGPS) locationdetermination. This request is, thus, made only after it is determinedthat the mobile device 113 is not at the home location and that itcannot determine its location using standalone GPS. The mobile devicemay not be able to use standalone GPS if it cannot identify a sufficientnumber (e.g. 4) of satellites having sufficient signal strength. Theaiding information provided to the mobile device using AGPS includesalmanac and ephemeris data that allows the GPS receiver in the mobiledevice to process weaker satellite signals than it may be able toprocess in a standalone mode. As discussed above, the user of the mobiledevice 113 does not realize that the call has been released. Instead, inone example, the user may experience a brief pause and a notification ona user interface of the mobile device 113 that a location determinationis in progress. Accordingly, the mobile device is in a “pseudo-hold”mode.

In steps 37 to 40, the mobile device 113 releases the call to free upthe CDMA radio channel for the IP session with the network-basedPosition Determining Equipment (PDE) (i.e., steps 41-47). In step 41,the mobile device 113 locates the proper PDE. Steps 42 to 44 representthe IS-801 session with the PDE to exchange GPS timing information anduse the PDE to calculate a more precise position (i.e., locationinformation). Communications between the mobile device 113 and the PDSNin steps 41-43 is via a binary runtime environment for wireless (BREW)protocol.

In steps 48 to 54, the Call Center Agent contacts emergency services.For example, if the user's physical health status warrants (e.g., asdetermined by the Agent (in Step 27) or the mobile device), the Agentmay call the PSAP (determined in previous step 20). Thus, the CallCenter Agent can relay the status and location of the PERS user to thePSAP operator.

In steps 55 to 66, the voice call is re-established with the mobiledevice 113 (which is largely transparent to the user, i.e., without anindication in the user interface, as described above). Put differently,the mobile device 113 exits the “pseudo-hold” mode. For example, theCall Center Automation re-establishes the voice communication with thePERS user when it receives the final “Update Location” response from theGranular positioning request (i.e., steps 35-47). The mobile device 113is stateful, that is, the mobile device is aware of its current state.As such, the mobile device will answer the incoming call silently toreconnect with the PERS user within a predetermined time (as describedabove). The App Center has its user state updated to “Connected” whenthe newly established call is completed. In one example, the Call CenterAgent has the capability to create a conference call with the PSAP CallTaker and the PERS user to discuss the situation (i.e., steps 65 to 66).

In steps 67 to 74, the help call is released and the emergency callstatus is cleared. For example, following resolution of the Helprequest, the PSAP Call Taker releases the call (i.e., steps 67-68), andthe Call Center Agent sends a command to the mobile device 113 to endthe emergency Alert state (i.e., step 69). In this regard, in step 70,the mobile device 113 responds with an acknowledgement message. In step71, the Alert state on the mobile device is cleared. In step 74, themobile device hangs-up its end of the call. In step 73, the App Centeris notified of the ‘End Call’ state following the Agent hang-up (i.e.,step 72).

In one example, once an emergency call is placed through a mobile device113, the connection between the mobile device 113 and the call center isnot severed until predetermined criteria are met. The mobile device 113can place and end the call automatically without requiring userintervention, or a determination whether the call should be continued orended. For example, in an emergency scenario, a user may accidentallypress the “end-call” button and then not be able to re-establish aconnection (e.g., due to an injury).

It should be noted that CDMA mobile devices 113 may have differentlocation determination technologies—each suited for different scenarios.Thus, there may not be a “one size fits all” solution to determine thelocation of a mobile device 113. As discussed above, as the environmentfor the mobile device 113 changes (e.g., indoor, outdoor, proximity to adocking station), different location determination technologies becomemore appropriate (e.g., GPS, AGPS, pilot beacon 402, etc.). To this end,in one example, a multi-prong approach is used to determine the locationof a mobile device 113 in an accurate and expedient way. In this regard,FIG. 8 illustrates a location determination flow that is adaptive to theconditions. As to the periodic triggering of the location determinationof the mobile device 113, a “breadcrumbs” approach can be used, wherethe call center keeps track of the location of the mobile device 113 byperiodically requesting its location (i.e., 1020). The locationinformation is then stored to create a trail over time.

In step 1002, there is a request for determining the location of themobile device 113. As discussed before, the request may be initiated bythe user of the mobile device 113 or by the mobile device 113 itselfautomatically upon coming into and/or leaving the range of a pilotbeacon 402 (e.g., docking station), by a call center, periodically, orautomatically in response to an emergency event.

In step 1004, it is determined whether the mobile device 113 is withinrange of a pilot beacon 402 (docking station). If the mobile device 113is within range of the pilot beacon 402, then the location informationis provided to the mobile device 113 by the pilot beacon 402 (i.e., step1006). In one example, the pilot beacon 402 sends the locationinformation directly to the call center. If the mobile device 113 is notwithin range of a pilot beacon 402 then some form of GPS locationdetermination, such as Standalone GPS or Assisted GPS (AGPS), may beused.

In step 1008, breadcrumbs are used to make a location determination. Forexample, if there is recently stored location information (either in themobile device 113 or the call center) then the stored locationinformation is used (i.e., step 1010). In one example, at apredetermined interval a determination is made whether the mobile device113 is within range of its pilot beacon 402 (i.e., step 1024). If so,the location information is cached such that the location history (i.e.breadcrumb data) is available in case there is no GPS satellitecapability.

Upon determining that recently stored location information is notavailable, step 1012 determines whether the user is on call (using themobile device 113). If not, in step 1020 AGPS mobile station based (MSB)is used to determine the location of the mobile device. AGPS MSB isstateful—thus, the previous stored locations help increase the accuracyof the present location.

However, if the mobile device 113 is on call, then in step 1014 adetermination is made whether standalone GPS can be used (e.g., GPSsignal strength is sufficient for efficient and accurate locationdetermination). Thus, for each location determination, including when abutton on the mobile device 113 is pressed for emergency purposes, astandalone GPS solution is sought first (i.e., step 1028). If there isstandalone GPS capability (for example if signals from a sufficientnumber of satellites can be received), in step 1016 a separate channelfor location determination is not required. Thus, the call on the mobiledevice is allowed to continue unaffected while the mobile device 113determines its location and sends it to the call center. Upondetermining that the standalone GPS is not available, in step 1018 a“pseudo-hold” operation is performed, as provided above in the contextof the discussion of FIG. 3.

As shown by the discussion of the method of FIGS. 1-8, the locationdetermination method and system discussed herein involves an interactionwith an appropriately configured mobile device 113. It may be useful toconsider the functional elements/aspects of an exemplary mobile device,at a high-level. For purposes of such a discussion, FIG. 9 provides ablock diagram illustration of an exemplary mobile device 113. Althoughthe mobile device 113 may be a handset type mobile phone or may beincorporated into another device, such as a personal digital assistant(PDA), a tablet computer, a PERS wearable device, or the like. Fordiscussion purposes, the illustration shows the mobile device 113 in theform of a handheld smart-phone. The smart-phone example of the mobiledevice 113 may function as a normal digital wireless telephone station.The mobile device 113 includes a display 1122 for displaying messages,location information, pseudo-hold messages, or the like, call relatedinformation dialed by the user, calling party numbers, etc. The mobiledevice 113 also includes a touch/position sensor 1126. The sensor 1126is relatively transparent, so that the user may view the informationpresented on the user output (i.e., display) 1122. A sense controller1128 sensing signals from elements of the touch/position sensor 1126 anddetects occurrence and position of each touch of the screen formed bythe display 1122 and sensor 1126. The sense circuit 1128 provides touchposition information to the microprocessor 1112, which correlates thatinformation to the information currently displayed via the display 1122,to determine the nature of user input via the screen.

The display 1122 and touch sensor 1126 (and possibly one or more keys1130, if included) are the physical elements providing the textual andgraphical user interface for the mobile device 113. The microphone 1102and speaker 1104 may be used as additional user interface elements, foraudio input and output. Of course, other user interface elements may beused, such as a trackball, as in some types of smart phones or tablets.As such, a smart button may be implemented by key 1132 or upon acombination of 1122 and 1126 forming a touch sensitive display of themobile device 113. In addition, camera 1500 may be used to captureimages and videos.

For digital wireless communications, the mobile device 113 also includesat least one transceiver (XCVR), such as cellular transceiver 1108 andshort range wireless transceiver 1103. The concepts discussed hereencompass examples of the mobile device 113 utilizing any digitaltransceivers that conform to current or future developed digitalwireless communication standards.

The transceiver 1108 provides two-way wireless communication ofinformation, such as vocoded speech samples and/or digital messageinformation, in accordance with the technology of the network 121. Inthis case, the transceiver 1108 also sends and receives a variety ofsignaling messages in support of the various voice and data servicesprovided via the mobile device 113 and the wireless communicationnetwork 121. Transceiver 1108 connects through RF send and receiveamplifiers (not separately shown) to an antenna 1110. In the example,the transceiver 1108 is configured for RF communication in accord with adigital wireless protocol, such as the CDMA and 3GPP protocols and/or 4Gprotocols.

Similarly, short range wireless transceiver 1103 is configured to sendand receive a variety of signaling messages in support of the variousvoice and data services provided via the pilot beacon 402 and itscorresponding in home wireless network, as discussed above. Transceiver1103 connects through send and receive amplifiers (not separately shown)to an antenna 1117.

The mobile device 113 also includes a GPS receiver 1447 forcommunicating with satellites via antenna 1449. The mobile device 113may also include a haptic element (not shown) to provide haptic feedbackto the user. Various combinations of the keypad 1120, display 1122,microphone 1102, haptic element, and speaker 1104 may be used as thephysical input output elements of the graphical user interface (GUI),for multimedia (e.g., audio and/or video) communications. Of courseother user interface elements may be used, such as a stylus and touchsensitive display screen, as in a PDA, tablet computer, PERS wearabledevice, or smart phone. In addition to normal telephone and datacommunication related input/output (including message input and messagedisplay functions), the user interface elements also may be used fordisplay of notifications and other information to the user and userinput of selections, for example, including any needed to placeemergency calls and/or determine location. Additional sensors, such asan accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, light sensor, and barometer mayalso be included in the motion sensor 1448 of the mobile device 113. Forexample, the combination of sensor information helps determine (i)whether the user of the mobile device is in an emergency situation and(ii) whether the user may need help.

In the example of FIG. 9, a microprocessor 1112 serves as a programmablecontroller or processor, in that it controls all operations of themobile device 113 in accord with programming that it executes, for allnormal operations, and for operations involved inreceiving/determining/transmitting location information andcommunicating with emergency services. In the example, the mobile device113 includes flash type program memory 1114, for storage of various“software” or “firmware” program routines and mobile configurationsettings, such as mobile telephone number (MTN or MDN), etc. The mobiledevice 113 may also include a non-volatile random access memory (RAM)1116 for a working data processing memory. In a present implementation,the flash type program memory 1114 stores firmware such as a bootroutine, device driver software, an operating system, call processingsoftware and vocoder control software, and any of a wide variety ofother applications, such as client browser software and short messageservice software. The memories 1114, 1116 also store various data, suchas telephone numbers and server addresses, downloaded data such asmultimedia content, and various data input by the user. Programmingstored in the flash type program memory 1114, sometimes referred to as“firmware,” is loaded into and executed by the microprocessor 1112.Accordingly, the mobile device 113 includes a processor, and programmingstored in the flash memory 1114 configures the processor so that themobile device is capable of performing various desired functions,including determining location information from GPS satellites andreceiving assistance through AGPS, and the like.

As discussed above, functions relating to monitoring locationinformation and providing assistance in determining the locationinformation can be performed on one or more computers connected for datacommunication via the components of a packet data network, includingmobile devices, in accordance with the methodology of FIGS. 3, and 5 to8. An exemplary mobile device 113 has been discussed above with respectto FIG. 9. Although special purpose devices may be used as theserver(s), for example for any of the servers in FIGS. 1 and 2, suchdevices also may be implemented using one or more hardware platformsintended to represent a general class of data processing device commonlyused to run “server” programming so as to implement the functionsdiscussed above, albeit with an appropriate network connection for datacommunication.

FIGS. 10 and 11 provide functional block diagram illustrations ofgeneral purpose computer hardware platforms, as might be used as any ofthe servers discussed in the context of FIGS. 1 and 2, or othercomputers discussed in the examples above. FIG. 10 illustrates a networkor host computer platform, as may typically be used to implement aserver. FIG. 11 depicts a computer with user interface elements, as maybe used to implement a personal computer or other type of work stationor terminal device, although the computer of FIG. 11 may also act as aserver if appropriately programmed. It is believed that programming andgeneral operation of such computer equipment, and as a result thedrawings, should be self-explanatory.

A server, for example, includes a data communication interface forpacket data communication. The server also includes a central processingunit (CPU), in the form of one or more processors, for executing programinstructions. The server platform typically includes an internalcommunication bus, program storage and data storage for various datafiles to be processed and/or communicated by the server, although theserver often receives programming and data via network communications.The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages ofsuch servers are conventional in nature. Of course, the server functionsmay be implemented in a distributed fashion on a number of similarplatforms, to distribute the processing load.

For example, aspects of the methods determining location information ofa mobile device and providing assistance in emergency situations, asoutlined above, may be embodied in programming for a server andprogramming for a mobile device. Program aspects of the technology maybe thought of as “products” or “articles of manufacture” typically inthe form of executable code and/or associated data that is carried on orembodied in a type of machine readable medium.

The exemplary dual mode capability of the mobile device 113 addressesthe lifestyle of the typical wearer who may be mostly home bound, wherecellular coverage may be spotty. In instances of being home, the in-homeradio technology (e.g., DECT, Zigbee, etc.) would manage communicationbetween the wearable device and a base station 402 that may be connectedto a phone line with wired or wireless backhaul. The low power and lessdemanding protocols of in-home radio technology allow battery life to beextended when compared to mobile personal emergency response service(MPERS) solutions that are solely cellular operated. A server (e.g.,PERS 142) receiving an in-home call is able to be identify the user'slocation by pairing the user's address to the phone number from whichthe user is calling from. Alternatively, if a GPS signal is available,the server (e.g., PERS 142) may translate the latitude/longitude to anaddress. In some implementations, the GPS receiver of the mobile device113 is turned OFF by the mobile device 113 when it is within range ofits pilot beacon 402, thereby further conserving power.

In several examples below, when it is determined which signal betweenthe different types of networks (cellular or in-home radio) is strongeror otherwise more reliable, the wearable device switches to use the morereliable signal. However, in-home coverage is preferred over cellularcoverage for battery conservation. Coverage may be dependent on carriernetwork availability.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary flow that extends the range whileconserving the power of the mobile device 113. In this example it isassumed that the mobile device 113 is not presently on a voice and/ordata call. It is also assumed that the mobile device is not docked on(e.g., physically placed on) the pilot beacon 402. As discussed above,using an in home network (IH) (e.g., including a short range wirelesstechnology and/or physical connection with a pilot beacon 402) ispreferred over using the wireless communication network 121 to providedependable location information and reduce power consumption.

In step 1201, the signal strength received by the mobile device 113 fromthe pilot beacon 402 (i.e., in-home signal strength) and the wirelesscommunication network 121 (i.e., cellular signal strength) aredetermined. In this regard, both the short range wireless transceiverand the cellular transceiver of the mobile device 113 are turned ON fora predetermined time.

In step 1202, the mobile device 113 compares the signal strengthreceived by the short range wireless transceiver and the cellulartransceiver and determines which is greater. In one example, thisdetermination is made periodically, as discussed in steps 1203 a and1203 b below.

In step 1203 a, if the signal received from the short range wirelesstransceiver is greater than or equal to the signal strength of thecellular transceiver, additional measurements are performed at apredetermined interval (e.g., every Y₁ seconds). Thus, it is determinedwhether there are a predetermined number of consecutive readings wherethe short range wireless transceiver signal is greater than or equal tothe signal strength of the cellular transceiver. In one example, thenumber of consecutive readings and/or the time interval for measurementare set based on battery conservation considerations. In one example,the number of consecutive readings and/or the time interval betweenconsecutive readings is based on the remaining battery life of themobile device 113 and/or signal strength difference between the shortrange wireless transceiver and the cellular transceiver. For example,the intervals decrease with decreasing difference (i.e., as the mobiledevice 113 nears the transition point), which may occur as a user withthe mobile device 113 approaches the pilot beacon 402. Reasons foradditional readings include stability and/or prevention of the systemfrom moving from one mode to another based on sporadic signals. However,it will be understood that these additional measurements are notnecessary. The system may also include an outlier rejection to rejectanomalous readings that may result from localized nulls in the wirelesssignals or in the signals from the pilot beacon 402. These nulls mayoccur, for example, due to reflected signals that negatively reinforceeach other. For example, if the process obtains ten consecutive readingsand only the sixth pilot beacon signal strength reading is less than thewireless signal strength reading, that sixth reading is ignored as beingan outlier. The reading may be discarded and another reading taken toreplace it or it may be replaced a value, such as the mean or median ofthe other readings.

In one example, hysteresis is used to stabilize the transition when nearthe threshold for switching from the short range wireless transceiver tothe cellular transceiver (or in the other direction). For example,rather than comparing IH to C in step 1202, the process flow may add adelta value to the signal strength of the signal currently being usedsuch that the signal strength of the other signal (IH or C) would needto exceed the signal strength of the signal currently being used (C orIH) by this delta value. This hysteresis value reduces repeatedswitching when the levels of IH and C are close to each other. Inanother example, the method immediately turns OFF the GPS receiver andthe cellular transceiver (and its related components) while keeping ONthe short range wireless transceiver (e.g., go directly to step 1212 a).In yet another example, if the signal strength of the short rangewireless network is sufficient (e.g., above a predetermined level) atransfer to pilot beacon 402 control occurs immediately and the cellulartransceiver (and its related components) as well as the GPS receiver,are turned OFF while keeping ON the short range wirelesstransceiver—regardless of the received signal strength of the cellularnetwork.

In step 1204 a, it is determined whether the signal from the pilotbeacon 402 received by the short range wireless transceiver is strongenough to accommodate communication with the mobile device 113. Forexample, the signal strength is compared to a threshold (e.g., Z₁ dBm).If the signal strength is sufficient, the method proceeds with step 1205a below. Otherwise, the method proceeds with step 1208 a below.

In step 1205 a, the mobile device 113 turns a predetermined set ofnon-essential components (such as the cellular transceiver andcomponents related to cellular voice/messaging/processing) to a lowpower state of operation such as a standby mode (or OFF) to save power.Further, the GPS receiver of the mobile device 113 is turned OFF tofurther conserve power (i.e., step 1206 a). Since the mobile device maynow be indoors, the GPS signals may be obstructed and therefore noteffective. Further, the pilot beacon 402 has location information storedtherein, obviating the need for the GPS receiver of the mobile device113. The pilot beacon 402 for example may have an identification numberthat can be correlated with the correct user information (includingaddress information) by the call center server 143.

It is noted that when a transceiver (short range or cellular) is OFF,there is essentially zero current/power drawn by the respectivecircuitry. However, in standby mode, a transceiver (short range orcellular) draws a very low current for a more immediate response by therespective circuitry. Thus, while the examples herein discuss “standby”or “OFF,” it will be understood that various combinations are supportedfor specific implementations. In one example, in an “Airplane mode,” alltransceivers are turned OFF while applications are on standby. When abutton on the mobile device 113 is pressed, it turns ON all the relevanttransceivers.

In step 1207, the active transceiver is kept ON while the non-activetransceiver is kept OFF. Thus, the mobile device 113 operates withreduced power consumption while the pilot beacon 402 is able to call forhelp and provide its location information when there is an emergency.While is step 1207, the mobile device may periodically (e.g., every Wminutes) monitor the signal strength of a signal received by the activetransceiver and, if the signal strength of the signal received by theactive transceiver falls below a threshold (e.g., Z dBm), operation mayreturn to step 1201 to cause both the signal strengths received by theactive transceiver and by the non-active transceiver to be measuredfollowing a re-activation of the non-active transceiver.

In one example, the method goes back to step 1201 after a predeterminedtime, after which the signal strength received by the mobile device 113from the pilot beacon 402 and wireless communication network 121 aredetermined. In one example, the method goes back to step 1201 when thesignal strength of the active transceiver drops below a predeterminedlevel. This predetermined level may be different for the short rangewireless transceiver and the cellular transceiver.

Going back to step 1204 a, if it is determined that the signal from thepilot beacon 402 received by the short range wireless transceiver is notstrong enough to accommodate communication with the mobile device 113 orsimply drops below a predetermined level, the method continues with step1208 a.

In step 1208 a, the mobile device 113 searches for an alternate pilotbeacon 402. For example, there may be several pilot beacons at alocation. In step 1209 a, if an alternate pilot beacon is found withsufficient signal strength, the method continues with step 1205 a, asdiscussed above. However, if the mobile device 113 is not successful infinding an alternate pilot beacon 402 with sufficient signal strength,the method proceeds with step 1210 a below.

In step 1210 a, the short range wireless transceiver is turned OFF toconserve battery power. For example, any overhead and/or managementprocesses for in home coverage are turned OFF to avoid the CPU fromperforming any unnecessary processing, thereby reducing powerconsumption.

In step 1211 a, the signal strength received by the cellular transceiveris determined. If the signal strength is below a second predeterminedlevel (e.g., Z₂), then the cellular transceiver and its correspondingcomponents are turned OFF (i.e., step 1212 a). In one example, themobile device 113 displays a prompt on the user interface (e.g., displayscreen) of the mobile device 113 to ask for confirmation to turn OFF thecellular capabilities. If the user chooses to keep the cellularcapabilities ON, the user can continue to use the wireless communicationnetwork 121 for cellular communication, including voice calls, texting,etc. In one example, when the battery of the mobile device is below athreshold level, a prompt is not provided and the cellular transceiverand its corresponding components are turned OFF immediately, therebyproviding longer mobile device 113 operation.

In step 1213 a, the active transceiver is kept ON while the non-activetransceiver is kept OFF. Thus, the mobile device 113 operates withreduced power consumption while being able to call for help and provideits location information through the pilot beacon 402 when there is anemergency.

In one example, the method goes back to step 1201 after a predeterminedtime, where the signal strength received by the mobile device 113 fromthe pilot beacon 402 and wireless communication network 121 aredetermined. In one example, the signal strength of the activetransceiver is checked periodically. The interval of how often thesignals strength is checked may vary with the frequency of theoccurrence where both the cellular transceiver and the short rangetransceiver are not capable of supporting a call. For example, theinterval V(t) is a time based function that is prolonged each time thereis a consecutive occurrence when both the cellular transceiver and theshort range transceiver don't have sufficient signal strength to supporta call. It should be reiterated that in this example it is assumed thatthe mobile device 113 is not docked directly (e.g., placed on) the pilotbeacon 402.

Going back to step 1202, if upon comparison the mobile device 113determines that the signal strength received by the short range wirelesstransceiver is less than that of the cellular transceiver, the methodcontinues with step 1203 b.

In step 1203 b, if the signal received from the short range wirelesstransceiver is less than the signal strength of the cellulartransceiver, additional measurements are performed at a predeterminedinterval (e.g., every Y₂ seconds). Thus, it is determined whether thereare a predetermined number of consecutive readings where the signalstrength of the signal received by the cellular transceiver is greaterthan the signal strength of the signal received by the short rangewireless transceiver. In one example, the number of consecutive readingsand/or the time interval for measurement are based on batteryconservation considerations. Reasons for additional readings includestability and/or prevention of the system from moving from one mode toanother based on sporadic signals. However, it will be understood thatthese additional measurements are not necessary. In a special example,the method immediately turns ON the GPS receiver and the cellulartransceiver (and its related components) while turning OFF short rangewireless transceiver (e.g., go directly to step 1206 b).

In step 1204 b, it is determined whether the signal received by thecellular transceiver is strong enough to accommodate communication withthe mobile device 113. For example, the signal strength is compared to athreshold (e.g., Z₂ dBm). If the signal strength is sufficient, themethod continues with step 1205 b below. Otherwise, the method continueswith step 1208 b, discussed below.

In step 1205 b, the mobile device 113 turns some non-essentialcomponents to OFF to save power. For example, the short range wirelesstransceiver, call management processes, and its related components areturned OFF. The GPS receiver of the mobile device 113 is only turned ONwhen a location determination is performed (when a voice call is not inprogress) to further conserver power (i.e., step 1206 b). For example, astandalone GPS query is performed at the beginning of a voice call (orwhen the mobile device 113 is beyond the range of the pilot beacon 402and a communication with the call center is triggered). At other times,the GPS is kept OFF to conserve power.

Step 1207 is described above and therefore not repeated for brevity.

Going back to step 1204 b, if it is determined that the signal receivedby the cellular transceiver is not strong enough to accommodatecommunication with the mobile device 113 or simply drops below apredetermined level, the method continues with step 1208 b. In step 1208b, if the cellular transceiver of the mobile device 113 does not receivea signal from the wireless communication network 121 that is ofsufficient strength (Z₂ dBm) to support a call, then the cellulartransceiver and its corresponding circuitry are turned OFF. In oneexample, the mobile device 113 displays a prompt on the user interface(e.g., screen/display) of the mobile device 113 asking for confirmationto turn OFF the cellular capabilities. If the user chooses to keep thecellular capabilities ON, the user can continue to use the wirelesscommunication network 121 for cellular communication.

In step 1209 b, it is determined whether a signal is received from thepilot beacon 402. For example, it is determined whether the signalreceived by the short range wireless transceiver is above “0.” If not,the method goes back to step 1205 b above. If the signal strength of theshort range wireless transceiver is above “0”, then the method continueswith step 1210 b below. For example, if the signal strength is above“0,” then the mobile device (e.g., wearable device) is still withinrange of the pilot beacon 402. When the cellular signal strengthreceived by the cellular transceiver of the mobile device 113 is belowan acceptable strength, then the short range wireless transceiver wouldbe in standby mode.

In step 1210 b, if the signal received by the short range wirelesstransceiver is greater than 0, the short range wireless transceiver iskept in standby mode. By way of example, consider a scenario where themobile device 113 is in an environment where the signal from thewireless communication network 121 is weak but there is a measurablesignal from the short range wireless transceiver (e.g., when walkinginto a basement).

In step 1211 b, the active transceiver is kept ON while the non-activetransceiver is kept in standby mode (e.g., the cellular transceiver andits corresponding circuitry may be kept turned ON in 120 b). Thus, themobile device 113 operates with reduced power consumption while beingable to reach for help and provide its location information through thepilot beacon 402 when there is an emergency. In one example, the methodgoes back to step 1201 after a predetermined time, where the signalstrength received by the mobile device 113 from the pilot beacon 402 andwireless communication network 121 are determined. In one example, thesignal strength of the active transceiver is checked periodically. Inone example, the interval of how often the signals strength is checkedvaries with time if the occurrence where both the cellular transceiverand the short range transceiver are not capable of supporting a callpersists. For example, the interval V(t) is a time based function thatis prolonged each time there is a consecutive occurrence when both thecellular transceiver and the short range transceiver don't havesufficient signal strength to support a call.

As noted before, in the example of FIG. 11 it is generally assumed thatthe mobile device 113 is not docked directly on (e.g., placed on) thepilot beacon 402. In one example where the mobile device 113 is dockeddirectly on the pilot beacon 402, both the cellular transceiver and theshort range wireless transceiver (as well as their correspondingcircuitry) are turned OFF. Further, the GPS receiver is turned OFF.Beneficially, power consumption is now further reduced since asubstantial number of blocks and features of the mobile device 113 arenow turned OFF. The pilot beacon may provide other functionality to themobile device 113 when directly coupled, such as charging. In oneexample, the pilot beacon 402 is able to place an emergency call to thecall center 143 without being coupled (either physically or wirelessly)with the mobile device 113.

FIG. 13 is an exemplary flow illustrating some processes and servicesthat may run when using the wireless communication network 121 and thein home network. For example, FIG. 13 illustrates how voice calls arehandled and what services are turned OFF (or placed in standby mode).

In step 1301, an incoming or outgoing voice call is handled by thetransceiver that has the best reception or the transceiver that isactive at that time. For example, if a cellular transceiver is presentlyactive, it is used to receive or place a call (e.g., instead of theshort range wireless transceiver). Alternatively, if a short rangewireless transceiver is presently active, it is used to receive or placea call (e.g., instead of the cellular transceiver).

In steps 1302 and 1303 determinations are made as to whether thecellular transceiver or the short range wireless transceiver used forthe in home network is handling the call. For example, in step 1302, ifit is determined that the cellular transceiver of the mobile device 113is handling the call, the method proceeds with step 1307 discussedbelow. However, if it is determined that the cellular transceiver is nothandling the call, then the method proceeds with step 1303, where it isdetermined whether the short range wireless transceiver is handling thecall.

In step 1304, upon determining that the short range wireless transceiveris handling the call, the cellular transceiver is turned to standby/OFF,the signaling associated with the cellular transceiver is stopped or puton standby, and the cellular processes are kept in standby mode. In oneimplementation, a determination is made whether transmission of data isrequired. In this regard, the cellular transceiver is turned ON totransmit the relevant data. If transmission of critical data is requiredwhile the short range wireless transceiver is processing a call, themethod continues with step 1305, where Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF)signaling is used to transmit battery levels to the PERS applicationserver 142. Alternatively, DTMF is used for remote management of thecall volume by the call center via the PERS application server 142.

Going back to step 1304, if it is determined that a requestedtransmission is non-critical (e.g., not emergency related), the data isstored in a memory of the mobile device 113 and transmitted after thecall completes.

In step 1306, the GPS is turned OFF. The location information isprovided by the pilot beacon 402. For example, the pilot beacon mayprovide its stored location information or the location information canbe determined via caller ID by the call center 143 or the user profilesdatabase server 141.

Going back to step 1302, upon determining that a cellular transceiver ofthe mobile device 113 is presently used for a call, then in step 1307the short range wireless transceiver is turned OFF. In addition, anyprocesses related to the short range wireless transceiver are turnedOFF.

In step 1308, the mobile device 113 location is determined. The GPSreceiver of the mobile device 113 is turned ON for a predetermined timeto determine the device location (e.g., CDMA implementation). In oneexample, where simultaneous voice and data is possible, AGPS is used toprovide more accurate location information. The GPS receiver is turnedOFF after the predetermined time to conserve power. Further, it isdetermined whether the location information obtained through GPS or AGPShas been successful. If so, the method continues with step 1309 (e.g.,if simultaneous voice and data are not possible). Otherwise, the methodcontinues with step 1310, discussed below.

In step 1309, the location information that was determined in step 1308is transmitted to the PERS Application Server 142 via SMS (e.g., in aCDMA implementation) or via one or more data packets when simultaneousvoice and data are possible (e.g., in a 4G implementation).

In step 1310, upon determining that the GPS and/or AGPS query isunsuccessful, a network based location determination is performed andprovided to the PERS Application server 142.

The method enters step 1311 when critical data (e.g., battery level,remote call volume settings, etc.) is to be transmitted. In one examplewhere simultaneous voice and data are not possible, the critical dataare transmitted via DTMF, otherwise critical data is transmitted overthe data channel.

In one example, the method enters step 1312 when the signal is lost byeither the cellular or short range wireless transceiver of the mobiledevice 113. In this regard, an automatic reconnect is attempted by thePERS Call Center Server 143 to reconnect the serving care center agentback with the device wearer or user. For example, if the cellular signalis lost by the cellular transceiver, the mobile device 113 will answerusing the transceiver that has the best signal strength. The method thencontinues with step 1301. In one implementation, the reconnect attemptis transparent to the mobile device user.

In step 1313, the call ends. In one implementation, the method continueswith step 1301 of FIG. 13. In another implementation, the methodcontinues with step 1201 of FIG. 12.

One implementation is embodied in a mobile device, comprising aprocessor; a first wireless transceiver coupled to the processor andconfigured to enable communications via a wireless communicationnetwork; a second wireless transceiver coupled to the processor andconfigured to enable communications with one or more local pilotbeacons; a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to theprocessor and configured to receive localization signals from GPSsatellites; a memory storing programming instructions, wherein executionof the programming instructions by the processor configures the mobiledevice to perform functions, including functions to: determine whether asignal strength of a signal received from one local pilot beacon via thesecond wireless transceiver exceeds a pre-determined threshold; and upondetermining that the signal strength exceeds the pre-determinedthreshold, place both the first wireless transceiver and the GPSreceiver in a low power state of operation; and upon determining that apredetermined condition is met following the placing of the firstwireless transceiver and the GPS in the low power state of operation,establish a communication using the second wireless transceiver via alocal pilot beacon.

In this mobile device, the establishing the communication using thesecond wireless transceiver via a local pilot beacon comprises a stepfor determining a location of the mobile device, and the determining ofthe location of the mobile device comprises: determining the location ofthe one local pilot beacon from which the signal is received; anddetermining the location of the mobile device to be the location of theone local pilot beacon from which the signal is received.

Also in this mobile device, execution of the programming instructionsfurther configures the mobile device to perform functions to: prior todetermining whether the signal strength exceeds the pre-determinedthreshold, determine whether a second signal strength of a signalreceived from the wireless communication network via the first wirelesstransceiver is lower than the signal strength of the signal receivedfrom the one local pilot beacon via the second wireless transceiver,wherein the determining whether the signal strength of the signalreceived from the one local pilot beacon exceeds a pre-determinedthreshold is performed upon determining that the second signal strengthis lower than the signal strength of the signal received from the onelocal pilot beacon.

For this mobile device the execution of the programming instructionsfurther configures the mobile device to perform functions to:periodically monitor the signal strength of the signal received from theone local pilot beacon via the second wireless transceiver; and upondetermining that the monitored signal strength of the signal receivedfrom the one local pilot beacon via the second wireless transceiver islower than the pre-determined threshold, re-activate the first wirelesstransceiver from the low power state of operation.

Furthermore, for this mobile device, execution of the programminginstructions further configures the mobile device to perform a functionto: upon re-activating the first wireless transceiver from the low powerstate of operation, place the second wireless transceiver in the lowpower state of operation.

In this mobile device, execution of the programming instructions furtherconfigures the mobile device to perform functions to: upon determiningthat a predetermined condition is met following the re-activating of thefirst wireless transceiver, performing functions to: establish acommunication using the first wireless transceiver with a call centerserver via the wireless communication network; and in response toreceiving a request from the call center server for a position of themobile device, re-activate the GPS receiver to determine a location ofthe mobile device.

Furthermore for this mobile device execution of the programminginstructions further configures the mobile device to perform functionsto: upon determining that a predetermined condition is met following there-activating of the first wireless transceiver, performing functionsto: establish a communication using the first wireless transceiver witha call center server via the wireless communication network; and inresponse to receiving a request from the call center server for aposition of the mobile device, perform functions to: temporarilydisconnect the voice call so as to make the first wireless transceiveravailable for data communication; upon the voice call being temporarilydisconnected, communicate via the wireless communication network with aposition determining entity (PDE) server to obtain location informationfor the mobile device; and upon obtaining location information for themobile device from the PDE server, automatically re-establish the voicecall over the wireless communication network using the first wirelesstransceiver.

While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the bestmode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modificationsmay be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may beimplemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may beapplied in numerous applications, only some of which have been describedherein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and allapplications, modifications and variations that fall within the truescope of the present teachings.

Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions,magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in thisspecification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, notexact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistentwith the functions to which they relate and with what is customary inthe art to which they pertain.

The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that now follow.That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broad as isconsistent with the ordinary meaning of the language that is used in theclaims when interpreted in light of this specification and theprosecution history that follows and to encompass all structural andfunctional equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intendedto embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement ofSections 101, 102, or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they beinterpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subjectmatter is hereby disclaimed.

Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been stated orillustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedicationof any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, orequivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recitedin the claims.

It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein havethe ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions withrespect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and studyexcept where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be usedsolely to distinguish one entity or action from another withoutnecessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or orderbetween such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,”or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises a list of elements does not include only those elements butmay include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to suchprocess, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “a” or“an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence ofadditional identical elements in the process, method, article, orapparatus that comprises the element.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted/with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims arehereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by a userequipment (UE) device from a call center, a first request to determine alocation of the UE device when the UE device is in an indoorenvironment; and receiving, by the UE device from the call center, asecond request to determine another location of the UE when the UEdevice is in an outdoor environment; in response to the first request:determining the location by a) using a Mobile Station Based AssistedGlobal Positioning System (MSB AGPS) or b) detecting a pilot beaconinside a building, and in response to the second request: determiningwhether the UE device is currently in use in a voice call communication;and upon determining that the UE device is currently in use in the voicecall communication, determining the other location using a standaloneGPS.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of at least one ofthe first and second requests further includes receiving the at leastone of the first and second requests by the UE device upon entering orexiting the building.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein: the determiningof the location using the MSB AGPS further includes storing breadcrumblocation data upon determining the location using the MSB AGPS; and thedetermining of the location in response to the first request includesproviding the stored breadcrumb location data, as the determinedlocation upon determining that the UE device is not within a range ofthe pilot beacon.
 4. The method of claim 3, further including usinginstant MSB AGPS data for determining of the location, upon furtherdetermining that the breadcrumb location data are not available.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location using the MSBAGPS further includes determining that the UE device is not within arange of the pilot beacon before using the MSB AGPS.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the determining of the other location using thestandalone GPS includes determining an unavailability of the MSB AGPS,and determining an availability of sufficient signal strength ofsatellite signals for use by the standalone GPS.
 7. A user equipment(UE) device comprising: at least one network interface, configured tosupport a connection via a communication network; and a processorcoupled to the network interface configured to cause the UE device toperform functions, including functions to: receive a first request froma call center to determine a location of the UE device, when the UEdevice is in an indoor environment; and receive a second request fromthe call center to determine another location of the UE device, when theUE device is in an outdoor environment; in response to the firstrequest: determine the location by using, in the indoor environment, atleast one of a) a Mobile Station Based Assisted Global PositioningSystem (MSB AGPS) or b) a pilot beacon, and in response to the secondrequest; determine whether the UE device is currently in use in a voicecall communication, and upon a determination that the UE device iscurrently in use in the voice call communication, determine the otherlocation using, in the outdoor environment, a standalone GPS.
 8. The UEdevice of claim 7, wherein: the processor is further configured to causethe UE device to receive at least one of the first and second requestswhen the UE device enters or exits a building.
 9. The UE device of claim7, wherein: the processor is further configured to determine that the UEdevice is within a range of the pilot beacon and based on thedetermination, cause the UE device to determine the location using thepilot beacon.
 10. The UE device of claim 7, wherein: the processor isfurther configured to cause the UE device to store bread-crumb locationdata, when the UE device determines the location using the MSB AGPS andto provide, in response to the first request, the stored bread-crumblocation data as the determined location when the UE device is notwithin a range of the pilot beacon.
 11. The UE device of claim 7,wherein: the processor is further configured to determine thatbread-crumb location data are not available and, based on thedetermination, cause the UE device to use instant MSB AGPS fordetermination of the location.
 12. The UE device of claim 7, wherein:the processor is further configured to determine that the UE device isnot within a range of the pilot beacon and, based on the determination,cause the UE device to use the MSB AGPS for determination of thelocation.
 13. The UE device of claim 7, wherein: the processor isfurther configured to determine an unavailability of the MSB AGPS, andbased on the determination, cause the UE device to use the standaloneGPS for the determination of the other location.
 14. The UE device ofclaim 7, wherein: the processor is further configured to determine anavailability of satellite signals of sufficient signal strength for useby the standalone GPS and, based on the determination, cause the UEdevice to use the standalone GPS for the determination of the otherlocation.
 15. A mobile device, comprising: a processor; a globalpositioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the processor andconfigured to receive localization signals from GPS satellites; a firstwireless transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to enablecommunications via a wireless communication network; a second wirelesstransceiver coupled to the processor and configured to enablecommunications with one or more local pilot beacons; and a memorystoring programming instructions, wherein execution of the programminginstructions by the processor configures the mobile device to performfunctions, including functions to: upon determining that a predeterminedcondition is met, determine a location of the mobile device byperforming functions to: determine whether a signal from a local pilotbeacon is received via the second wireless transceiver; upon determiningthat a signal from one local pilot beacon is received, determine thelocation of the mobile device to be the location of the one local pilotbeacon from which the signal is received; upon determining that a localpilot beacon is not received via the second wireless transceiver,determine whether the mobile device is currently in use in a voice callcommunication via the first wireless transceiver; and upon determiningthat the mobile device is currently in use in the voice callcommunication, use the GPS receiver in a standalone mode to determinethe location of the mobile device.
 16. The mobile device of claim 15,wherein the function of determining that a predetermined condition ismet includes determining that a signal strength of a signal receivedfrom one local pilot beacon via the second wireless transceiver exceedsa pre-determined threshold.
 17. The mobile device of claim 15, whereinthe determining the location of the mobile device further comprisesperforming functions to: upon determining that the local pilot beacon isnot received using the second wireless transceiver and that a signalstrength of the localization signals received from the GPS satellites islower than a threshold, retrieve from the memory a recently storedlocation for the mobile device, wherein the memory holds at least onelocation of the local pilot beacon from which a signal was received bythe mobile device via the second wireless transceiver; and determine thelocation of the mobile device to be the recently stored location of thelocal pilot beacon from which the signal was received.
 18. The mobiledevice of claim 15, wherein: the functions to determine the location ofthe mobile device further comprise functions to determine whether asecond signal strength of the localization signals received from the GPSsatellites is lower than a threshold.
 19. The mobile device of claim 15,wherein the determining the location of the mobile device furthercomprises performing functions to: use, upon determining that the mobiledevice is not currently in use in a voice call communication, a MobileStation Based Assisted Global Positioning System (MSB AGPS) to determinethe location of the mobile device.
 20. The mobile device of claim 15,wherein the mobile device comprises a wearable personal emergencyresponse system (PERS) device.